Tuesday, December 22, 2009

In October 2007, Philadelphia writer Ed Pettit issued a gallant challenge: grab a shovel, head down to Baltimore, and remove the bones of Edgar A. Poe so that they may be buried in Philadelphia.

As you can imagine, Baltimoreans were inflamed – none more so than Jeff Jerome, curator of Baltimore’s Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum. Threats of fisticuffs ensued, and over a year later, arguments over who was most deserving of the rotting corpse of Poe culminated in “The Great Poe Debate.” The third combatant was an upstart from Boston, Poe’s neglected birthplace, named Paul Lewis, a professor at Boston College.

The January 13 debate, hosted by the Philadelphia Free Library, conclusively established Poe’s legacy as distinctly Philadelphian. The competing outsiders cried foul, blaming the bias of the home crowd advantage. The re-match was scheduled and set in Boston just under a year later.

Since the first debate, Jerome has overseen several Baltimore events for Poe’s bicentennial, culminating with a funeral held in October. Pettit has continued to provoke national attention for Philadelphia’s claim to Poe with speaking engagements and his “Ed and Edgar” blog. Lewis successfully petitioned for the dedication of “Edgar Allan Poe Square” in Boston and was elected vice-president of the Poe Studies Association. Clearly, all three are qualified to discuss Poe.

The second round of the Great Poe Debate was held at the Boston Public Library with the same three representatives. Lewis argued that Poe was not only born in Boston, but owed the city for inspiring his distinctive writing theory by directly opposing Bostonian literary ideals. Jerome noted Baltimore’s impressive loyalty to Poe since the memorial placed at his downtown grave in 1875, as well the family connection to Charm City. Pettit said that Poe’s time in Philadelphia marked his most productive writing period, inspired by a subgenre termed “Philadelphia Gothic.”

Boston-area writers fueled Poe’s creative thinking, said Lewis, who also noted that Poe’s mother Eliza performed on a stage in Boston only blocks from where the debate took place. Jerome noted that, though Poe struggled in Baltimore, it is where he published his first true horror story, “Berenice,” which established the tradition he would follow for the remainder of his prose career. Pettit emphasized that Poe’s time in the City of Brotherly Love included the birth of the modern detective story and most of the classic Poe tales still read today, including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat.”

The debate was moderated by Charles Pierce, a writer for the Boston Globe and contributor to NPR and other outlets – who showed a clear partiality towards Boston. The city’s poet laureate Sam Cornish served as a celebrity judge, but declined making a final decision – further proving that Poe belongs not to one city, but to everyone.

The debate was all in good fun, of course – no one was literally looking to remove Poe from his grave. Instead, the debate focused on which city had earned the right to identify with Poe. Even so, debaters came out ready for a battle – Pettit himself walked to the stage to the Rocky theme song and wearing a boxing-style robe with Poe’s face on the back. Jerome attempted to bribe the audience with T-shirts.

A crowd of over 350 Poe supporters filled the Rabb Lecture Hall, some coming from as far away as Charleston, South Carolina.

Representatives from Richmond, New York, and other Poe-affiliated cities were not available.

The event was the kick-off to the exhibit “The Raven in the Frog-Pond,” which explores and redefines Poe’s connection with the city of his birth. Lewis served as curator, with the assistance of students from Boston College and independent scholars. The exhibit continues at the Boston Public Library through March 2010.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

In celebration of the opening of the exhibition, The Raven in the Frog Pond, the Great Poe Debate presents advocates for Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia, all of whom will make the case for their city's claim to the Poe legacy.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Have you ever read the title page to the original 1838 version of Pym? Thoughts Welcome!

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

Comprising the Details of a Mutiny and Atrocious Butchery on Board the American Brig Grampus, on Her Way to the South Seas, in the Month of June 1827. With and Account of the Recapture of the Vessel by the Survivors; Their Shipwreck and Subsequent Horrible Sufferings from Famine; Their Deliverance by Means of the British Schooner Jane Guy; the Brief Cruise of This Latter Vessel in the Antarctic Ocean; Her Capture, and the Massacre of Her Crew Among a Group of Islands in the Eighty-Fourth Parallel of Southern Latitude; Together with the Incredible Adventures and Discoveries Still Farther South To Which That Distressing Calamity Gave Rise.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

What better way to spend the eve of Halloween than taking in a discussion by none other than our very own Professor Poe?

What: A riveting approach to Poe, cosmology, the universe and imagination!Where: West Hill CemeteryWhen: Tour begins at 6:00p.m., talk begins at 7:30 p.m.Why: Poe understood the noumenal world, and now you can too!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

"Poe-sers" - the life stories of a woman's splintered personality as she lives and survives within, and because of, the poems of Edgar Allan Poe. (40 minutes) October 10, 5:30pm at Historic St. George's Methodist Church,235 North Fourth Street, Old City, Philadelphia. A short walk from the Conference, enough time to attend the banquet. Half price for conference attendees, $7, RSVP or for further info and directions at: poe-sers@hotmail.com or buy tickets at the door. The Show benefits Poe Studies Association and will be filmed.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

This is to notify you that the events surrounding Poe's Funeral will begin on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 with the public viewing of Poe's body at the Poe House, 203 North Amity Street, Baltimore, Maryland from noon to 11 P.M. Viewing times for family and invited friends will be from 9 A.M. until noon (Open coffin).

The Baltimore Poe House will be closed on Thursday, October 8, 2009.

A candlelight vigil will be held at Poe's Grave from midnight to 7 A.M. on Thursday, October 8, 2009. During the vigil, people will be able to offer their own tribute to Poe at timed intervals. The tributes can be spoken, sung or performed (subject to prior approval).

On Sunday, October 11, 2009 Poe's Funeral will take place at the Westminster Hall, Fayette and Greene Streets in downtown Baltimore.

Poe's coffin will be brought to Westminster Hall from the Poe House in a horse drawn antique hearse by police escort for the first service only. Departure time and procession route will be announced.

Due to the expected demand there will be two services. The first service will be at 12:30 P.M. and the second one at 4:30 P.M. (Closed coffin)

Each service will feature eulogies given by people who knew Poe, were related to Poe or had some association with him. In addition there will be legacies, people who claimed to have been inspired by Poe to create their own literature such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Baudelaire, Jules Verne and others. As of this date we are awaiting confirmation from 7 living people who expressed a desire to give a eulogy to Poe. These are people in the literary, theatrical and movie professions.

I am also pleased to announce that John Astin will officiate at both services.

Musical selections including the 1889 Johnson pipe organ will be offered throughout the service.

The burial service will be private at the request of the family. No exceptions.

Ticket forms will be available through the website and it will be the same format as ordering tickets for the Poe Birthday Celebration. Don't delay in ordering tickets. Once they are gone, they are gone!

So far 2009 has been a memorable year for celebrating the Poe Bicentennial in Baltimore. Not only has the Poe House and Museum celebrated this event but other museums and historic sites in Baltimore have been doing the same. As an example, the National Museum of Dentistry is presenting "Berenice," featuring Tony Tsendeas, at the museum in September. What a better place to present Poe's gruesome tale of premature burial, grave desecration, mutilation and obsession with teeth then at a DENTAL MUSEUM!! The performance will feature actual dental instruments that were used in the 1840's to forcibly remove teeth. Looking at these instruments of torture is enough to give anyone goosebumps!

The public mailing will go out sometime in mid to late August. However, I'm going to make every effort to notify you, loyal Poe fans, in advance so you'll have first crack at ordering tickets. Seating will be limited to 300 seats.

Please keep visiting our website for updates in the program.Please keep visiting our website for updates in the program.This event is sponsored by the Baltimore City Department of Planning, The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum and the City of Baltimore.Thank you for being loyal Poe fans and supporting the many Poe events that we've put on for you throughout the years and especially the 2009 events.

Friday, August 7, 2009

I wanted to let you know that sales of the special edition bicentennial shirt and print of the design (numbered, signed and suitable for framing) will continue through the International Conference in Philadelphia with a portion of the proceeds from these sales being donated to the PSA to help offset the cost of the conference.

The bicentennial design is currently available in sizes small, medium, large, and extra large with a few in size XXL. Pre-orders will be accepted and greatly appreciated to help with inventory. That way when you attend the conference, all you will need to do is pay/pickup your merchandise.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Just last week, I was told by the head of the Rare Book Department (who is sponsoring the opening reception) at the Free Library that the state of PA has mandated that they be open until 9 on Thursday nights instead of 6. This, of course, now presents us with the problem of finding another venue for the conference reception.

I will be taking a look at 4 venues tomorrow, one of which is the Academy of the Fine Arts, a beautiful old building ("Since its founding in 1805, PAFA has been committed to fostering and collecting American art. Scholars have deemed PAFA's one of the world's three best collections of American art for its depth, breadth, and quality.") This could prove to be an exquisite site for our opening reception, redolent with Poe's vibrations (if you allow me a cliched description...). Of course, the site would not be free, as was the venue at the Free Library.

This is why I am writing: if your institution, your friends or one or more of the organizations you belong to could find a way to donate to our conference, this would be the most crucial time to do so.

Friday, July 24, 2009

> MumboJumbo Celebrates 200 Years of Poe with Midnight Mysteries > New PC hidden-object murder mystery game launches today> > DALLAS (July 17, 2009) - MumboJumbo, a leading developer and publisher of casual games, today launched Midnight Mysteries : The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, a hidden-object adventure game that challenges players to solve the 160-year-old mystery surrounding the death of one of America's most famous writers. The seek-and-find PC title is the first installment in the newly launched Midnight Mysteries franchise, and it is available exclusively through BigFishGames.com and mumbojumbo.com. > > "Everyone loves a great mystery-the intrigue, the conspiracy theories, the whole unknown," said Mark Cottam, CEO of MumboJumbo. "In Midnight Mysteries, players can enjoy great hidden-object game play, solve puzzles and interact with characters to crack one of the most enduring mysteries of our time."> > In Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, the player takes on the persona of a famed writer who is known for solving cold cases. One night, the player is visited by the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe and given an invitation to attend the bicentennial celebration of Poe's life and works. Recognizing this as an opportunity to discover the truth behind Poe's death, the player goes on a hidden-object adventure through some of the author's most famous works, including The Mystery of Marie Rogêt and The Gold Bug.> > "We're very excited to kick off our Midnight Mysteries franchise with a tale about one of the most famous mystery writers. Who better to launch a series about murder and intrigue than Poe himself?" said Cottam.> > Poe, best known for his short stories and poems, including The Raven and Annabel Lee, was born in Boston, Ma. in 1809 and died of mysterious causes in October 1849. Speculation about his death has gone on for years by scholars, doctors and enthusiasts. His death has been attributed to everything from alcoholism, to rabies, to the violent practice of voting fraud known as cooping.> > Many of Poe's works also have been termed tales of ratiocination, or logical reasoning, which Poe's prominent Detective Dupin character uses to solve crimes in many of his stories-a factor that made this particular story one of interest for the first installment of Midnight Mysteries. > > In Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy, the player must collect clues, interview witnesses and piece together the conspiracy theory behind the famous American author's death to set Poe's spirit free. > > The title is just one of many ways that the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe are being celebrated in 2009-this year marks the 200th anniversary of the acclaimed mystery writer's life. Across the nation, events are scheduled throughout the year, especially in cities that have particular ties to Poe's life, like Baltimore, Md., Richmond, Va., and Philadelphia, Pa.> > Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy is available now at BigFishGames.com and mumbojumbo.com, and it will make its retail debut in August. To learn more about Midnight Mysteries, you can visit www.mumbojumbo.com. > > About MumboJumbo> Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, MumboJumbo LLC is a worldwide publisher, developer and mass marketer of premium casual games for PCs and game consoles. MumboJumbo games are downloadable at its website as well as key game portals, or purchased at retail through mass merchants, computer retailers and specialty outlets. MumboJumbo owns and operates studios located in Dallas and Vladivostok, Russia, and publishes and distributes software through its subsidiaries worldwide. For more information please visit our website at www.mumbojumbo.com.>

Friday, June 19, 2009

Richard Masloski is a professional sculptor. Here are two photos of his limited edition bronze bust of Edgar Poe. The piece measures 20" x 14" x 12" and is mounted on a two-tiered black walnut base with brass title plate. More information regarding the sculpture can be found on my website at www.masloski.com for anyone interested.

Did you know... one of Richard's busts was used as desk set-dressing in the as-of-yet unreleased Alec Baldwin directed and starred in film "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Anthony Hopkins co-starred.

> If you are in the Philadelphia area, I would love to see you at Philly's first Haunted Poe Cabaret. I've been working with Brat Productions for the last year or so, crafting a unique dramatic experience that will debut in October this year: Haunted Poe. To help promote the show, we're having an event at the Latvian Society Cultural Center at 7th and Spring Garden Sts (right across the street from the Philly Poe House) on Thursday, June 25. Doors open at 8. Performance begins at 9.> > The Haunted Poe Cabaret: Murder Ballads, Shanties and Other Poe-etics> > As a prelude to the world premiere of the Edgar Allan Poe-based production HAUNTED POE (October 1 - November 1, 2009), Brat Productions invites audiences to enter the world of the master of the macabre with a thrilling, chilling evening of entertainment. Mistress of Ceremonies Dame Darcy helms a raft of performers that include Drew Mills (Blood Feathers), Helen McKenna-Uff (Poe impersonator and Ranger at the Edgar Allan Poe House), Fern Knight, Calamity Rose (12-year-old puppeteer from Puppet Uprising), Yellow Humphrey, and a sneak preview of the much-anticipated HAUNTED POE.> > I'll also be on hand to tell the Philly Poe story. I hope to see many of you there. Info and tickets here:> http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/69909> > And there's also a cool Haunted Poe Doll Crafting Workshop during the day from 1-3, also hosted by Dame Darcy. More info here:> http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/69908> > And don't forget to sign up for the Haunted Poe mailing list:> http://www.bratproductions.org/tickets.html> > Wishing you a fun (and macabre) Poe Bicentennial Year,> > Ed Pettit> The Philly Poe Guy

Friday, June 5, 2009

This isn't exactly a Poe question, but I thought it might interest some of the same audience:

Does anyone know of a good article or book chapter on gothic (but not "horror") film that might be used as a general introduction to the genre?

I'm thinking of films in the terror/thriller/psychological drama categories--Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, David Cronenberg,etc.--rather than monster/slasher variety. There seems to be lots of film criticism on "horror", and plenty on individual "thriller" directors (like Hitchcock), but I'm really looking for something more broad that will tie the gothic literary and film traditions together for a graduate seminar next year.

Friday, May 29, 2009

World premiere of this theatrical amusement coincides with bicentennial of Poe’s birth

“In each room, around every corner, another scare awaits.”

PHILADELPHIA – During this the 200th anniversary year of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, Brat Productions will unearth the images, characters and scenes from works by the master of the macabre for the world premiere of Haunted Poe, a theatrical production unitingliterature, history and theater with the haunted attraction genre.

A 10,000 square foot warehouse will be transformed into an eerie maze of chambers into which audiences will be guided through short vignettes designed to surprise and shock in unexpected ways. “In each room, around every corner, another scare awaits,” said Producing Artistic Director Michael Alltop.

The 11 featured tales include “The Tell-tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Black Cat,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Pit and the Pendulum,” written by Poe in Philadelphia, between 1838-1844.

Haunted Poe will run October 1 – November 1, 2009 at 38 Jackson Street in Philadelphia.Timed tickets, ranging from $10 - $25, will be available at www.hauntedpoe.org beginning July 1. [A full performance schedule and ticket details follow in the fact sheet below.]The performance dates will coincide with the Third International Edgar Allan Poe Conference: The Bicentennial, scheduled for October 8-10 at the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. -MORE-

Haunted Poe begins with the premise that the author's remains have been exhumed from Westminster Cemetery in Baltimore and brought to Philadelphia for the anniversary of his death (October 7, 1849).With Poe’s return to the place of some of his greatest literary achievements, he is brought back to life to guide us through his imagination.

Alltop, who conceived the work, went on to say, “Audiences will witness a plot being hatched by a madman; see a corpse take on life as shrieks erupt from under shaking floorboards; peek through holes in the wall to spy on unspeakable crimes; navigate their way through tunnels lined with skeletons; and look in vain for an escape as the walls of a room close in on them.”

Haunted Poe is a theatrical project that differs from other haunted attractions.There will be no roaring chainsaws or pulsing lights, no reliance on sonic blasts or hydraulic monsters. Although modern technology will be used in the production, the costumes, props and scenic elements will be period-correct, with chills derived from the psychological thrills that are the hallmark of Poe’s work.His catalog of terror – phobias, insanity, nightmares, haunted houses, torture, premature burial, murder, dismemberment, ghosts and the undead – will be ever-present.

Brat Production’s Haunted Poe has been funded by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative with additional support from the Marketing Innovation Program.

About Brat Productions

Founded in 1996, Brat Productions is a theatre company that produces both contemporary work and re-envisioned classics with emerging artists in non-traditional venues.Over the years, Brat has established itself as Philadelphia’s premier avant-garde theatre, and is known for using unusual performance venues to enhance original and noteworthy productions.Its mission is to generate new theatre-goers by creating theatre that is unpredictable, courageous, and compelling. Brat values risk, innovation, and fostering the growth of artists in the greater Philadelphia region.Its numerous productions have included Three Chord Fiction, winner of the Ted and Stevie Wolf Barrymore Award for New Approaches to Collaboration, A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano, and A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant and Eye-95: Retarred.

# # # # # #

FACT SHEET

BRAT PRODUCTIONS

HAUNTED POE

PRODUCTION TEAM

Michael Alltop: Producing Artistic Director

Madi Distefano: Stage Director

Bruce Walsh: Playwright

Brad Helm: Designer and Technical Director

Edward Pettit:Poe Advisor

PERFORMANCE DATES

Thursday, October 1, 7:00–10:00 p.m. (preview)

Friday, October 2, 7:00–10:00 p.m. (preview)

Saturday, October 3, 7:00–10:00 p.m. (preview)

Sunday, October 4, 7:00–10:00 p.m. (preview)

Wednesday, October 7 – OPENING NIGHT EVENT

Thursday, October 8, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Friday, October 9, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 10, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 11, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 15, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Friday, October 16, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 17, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 18, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 21, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 22, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Friday, October 23, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 24, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 25, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 27, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Wednesday, October 28, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 29, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Friday, October 30, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 31, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 1, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

LOCATION

38 Jackson Street

Philadelphia, Pennsylavania (convenient to I-95)

TICKET PRICES

Ticket prices range from $10 for previews to a $25 VIP “fast-track” option. Timed tickets will be sold and a new group of spectators will enter the haunt approximately every 5 minutes. It will take approximately 45 minutes to experience Haunted Poe.

Celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's Bicentennial (1809-2009) with the critically acclaimed, award winning Radiotheatre in a unique event as they perform live, on stage, a year-long presentation of seventeen major works by the grand master of American horror!

Included are: THE TELL TALE HEART, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THE HOUSE OF USHER, MORELLA, THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, BERENICE, THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO, THE BLACK CAT, THE RAVEN, ANNABEL LEE, HOP FROG, THE OVAL PORTRAIT, THE PREMATURE BURIAL, THE CASE OF MR.VALDEMAR, WILLIAM WILSON, LIGEIA and THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE

...all newly adapted audio works for the stage by Dan Bianchi, complete with our great cast of storytellers, special guests, original orchestral scores and a plethora of sound effects!

This blog will serve as a forum to talk about news, findings and events relating to the Poe Studies Association. We can also create discussions and post photos as well, so it can be an interactive space to share ideas.

If there are websites, links, photos or library resources you would like included for the benefit of the members, feel free to submit them for posting.

The space will also serve as a message board for upcoming information on the PSA conference. I will post resources and information as it arrives.

If you would like something posted to the blog, please email it to cpopper@gmail.com. General updates will be posted on Fridays.

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Brief Philadelphia Restaurant Guide

Philadelphia is an EATING town. From swine to divine, we’ve got it! You know you’re supposed to eat a cheesesteak, and you might know to seek out a good seafood place, but you can have a very diverse culinary experience: an international food palate for our international visitors

“Warm-hued walls patched with large frescos of the Italian countryside give an old world feel to this tiny business district dining room. A good mix of business diners, date duos and "regulars" take up the dark wood tabled to dine on traditional, house-made dishes like fried calamari, Zuppa Di Pesce and Veal Parmigiana.” (On-line description.)

Good place for large groups even though it’s a relatively small restaurant.A group of 12 of us ate there one night during MLA, and everyone enjoyed the meal.The staff has always been very accommodating when I’ve eaten there, and the food is yummy.It’s also BYOB.(Cantalupo review)